The present invention relates to videoconference devices used in videophones/videoconferences which communicate using voice/image signals.
Conventionally, when a facsimile unit (FAX)is used for a videoconference, a special facsimile unit having a data communication interface for connection of the facsimile unit is used to send/receive an encoded facsimile signal multiplexed with other image/voice data to/from a videoconference device through data communication using an interface such as a RS-232C.
Techniques associated with those techniques are described in JP-A-2-39790 and JP-A-2-22989.
In the realization of the facsimile transmission/reception to/from the other party in a videophone/videoconference using a facsimile device connected to a videoconference device, the facsimile device must be able to connect to a general commercially available telephone network and not a special facsimile unit having a dedicated interface such as that in the conventional device.
The facsimile unit used is also required to be compatible with a facsimile unit with an internal telephone function comprising a dialing function as well as a more inexpensive dialing function-free facsimile unit with an external telephone.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a videoconference device which is capable of facsimile communication using a general commercially available facsimile unit during communication of a videoconference.